


Emergency Goalie

by PoetsReach



Series: Emergency Goalie [1]
Category: Hockey RPF, Women's Hockey RPF
Genre: Boston Bruins, Canon-Typical Violence, Future Fic, Gen, I don't know, Minor Injuries, News Media, OMC - Freeform, Pittsburgh Penguins, Trans Character, game typical violence, how do you tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-22 21:21:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11388672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoetsReach/pseuds/PoetsReach
Summary: Boston needs an emergency goalie.





	Emergency Goalie

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I know this is highly unlikely and inaccurate and bla bla bla. Just let me dream. I am going with the current goalie lineup because I don’t have a crystal ball and don’t feel like making anything up.

News caster 1: Well, there's been a last minute change to the starting lineup tonight. Tuukka Rask is out with what is being described as a severe case of the stomach flu. With the Providence Bruins on a road trip there was no time to call up anyone. So tonight they are playing with Anton Khudobin starting in net and an emergency goalie as back up.

News caster 2: That’s right, and I heard that they found him working in their public relations office of all places, is that right?

NC1: That’s right, with their whole coaching staff available to them you would think they could come up with a better option, but this is what they are going with. 

NC2: I guess they are pretty confident that they won’t have to pull Khudobin.

\-------------------------

NC1: If you are just joining us now it appears that tonight's starting goaltender for the Bruins, Anton Khdobin, has been injured during warmups having taken a puck to the collarbone area, and has headed to the dressing room and not returned. He has been replaced on the ice by Avi Roth. It looks like they have in fact sent back a goalie coach to dress so they have the required two dressed goalies at the start of the game. Now, what do we know about Avi Roth?

NC2: Well, it looks like we might have to eat our words on this one. This might be the best possible emergency goalie situation where they actually have to play.

NC1: Now, why is that?

NC2: The did a little bit of research while we were talking and they found out some things about Roth. It turns out Roth won Olympic gold with the US Women’s hockey team two years ago in PyeongChang, and has been playing with the NWHL’s Boston Pride. Roth made the decision not to start the season with the Pride last month after beginning a medical transition, despite the fact he was told he could continue to compete. 

NC1: So assuming the league office lets him start we may be about to witness the first openly transgender player in the NHL. What do you think the odds are that the league will actually let him play?

NC2: Well he is legally listed as male, so I’m not sure how much the league could do about it if they wanted to stop it.

NC1: The league has been running the You Can Play campaign for years and they finally have a chance to watch an openly LGBT player on the ice. That campaign has focused almost exclusively on gay players though; do you think a transgender player might be just a step too far for some?

NC2: I guess we'll find out. The game is scheduled to start in just a couple of minutes here. We’ll see if Avi Roth is in net when it does. 

\---------------------------

NC1: Well, it looks like Roth is indeed in net for Boston once again, this time for an NHL team in the Boston Bruins. And boy does he look comfortable out there! This isn't the first time he’s played in TD Garden, he played in the ECAC women’s finals here when he was in College, so I imagine that might be helping his nerves. 

NC2: I'm sure after the pressure of an Olympic gold medal game this is small beans. He is looking big out there though. 

NC1: 6 foot 1’’ out of skates and almost 200 lb, he isn't exactly small.

\------------------------------

NC1: Well, we are halfway through the first period and Roth hasn't really faced much of note. The team seems to be doing their best to protect the unfamiliar goaltender and- THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SAVE BY ROTH! I guess I spoke too soon! He is definitely getting a chance to showcase that Olympic level talent. He absolutely robed Crosby, Robed him!

NC2: The Penguins seem to have gotten a bit of a surge going here, we’ll see whether Roth can handle more of that same level of play.

\---------------------------

NC1: And that’s a penalty, one of the more blatant examples of tripping I’ve seen so far this year, I don't know what he’s doing looking up at the jumbo tron, like he doesn't know what he did. Looks like the Penguins are going on the power play. 

NC1: … And Schultz takes the shot, save! Rebound goes directly to Kessel, passes to Malkin, takes the shot and a glove save by Roth! And that is it for the power play. Half way through the second and the score is still 0-0.

\-----------------------------------

NC1: ... And Jake Guentzel goes barreling into Roth! It almost looked like he was trying to jump over him there! 

NC2: And they are signaling No Goal on the ice, let's take a look at that footage. And yes, somehow Roth kept that from going in. Although even if he hadn’t it very well might have been called off for goalie interference.

NC1: Roth seems to be taking a minute to get back up.

NC2: He’s been having such a good night, it would be a shame if this ended it now.

NC1: Here he goes now though, he’s waving off the trainer that was heading out from the bench. Looks like he’s good to go and we aren't going to be seeing a second emergency goalie pressed into action tonight.

\------------------------------

NC1: And Marchand scores! With less than 20 seconds left in regulation this may very well be it folks. 

NC2: ...And that’s it folks, Bruins win 0-1. A very good performance by all of the skaters on the ice for Boston and an excellent first showing in the National Hockey League for Avi Roth who faced 35 shots and let none of them through for a shutout. He earned those head taps tonight!

\-------------------------------

Reporter: We are here with Avi Roth, emergency goalie and Public Relations staffer for the Boston Bruins. So, today must have been quite a day for you, how did all of this come together?

Avi Roth: Well, it obviously started when they realized that Tuukka Rask wasn’t going to be able to play, or even gear up and sit on the bench. When they started looking around for goalies one of the Assistant GMs remembered that his daughter had been talking about me and how I was working for the organization now, apparently she is a fan of the Pride.

Reporter: So when did you find out about all of this?

AR: I found out when my boss came over to my desk and started asking me questions about whether I had been keeping up my skills and what my legal status was as far as my gender marker went. Asked me whether I was on anything that the league would question. The entire time she was texting someone so I figured something was up, I didn’t expect to be told to go home and get my gear and that I was playing back up tonight though. 

Reporter: I bet you were surprised you actually got to start the game.

AR: Yeah, it’s terrible what happened to Khudobin. I hope he’s going to be okay.

Reporter: How does it feel to get a shutout in your first game in the NHL?

AR: Well, it’s not my first professional league shutout, but yeah, this one is definitely special, I’m going to remember this! -laughter- But really, the guys have been great on and off the ice, I couldn’t have done it without them, the team really played their game tonight. 

Reporter: Did they give you the puck?

AR: Yeah. It's right here!

Reporter: How does it feel to be the first LGBT person to play in the league?

AR: Well, I’m not. First openly queer person, yeah, but not the first ever. And I was trying not to think about it on the ice. But now, it feels pretty good, especially since I didn't fall on my face.

-PR person cuts in- Okay, that’s enough questions for tonight.

\---------------------------------

NC1: So do you think this is the last we'll see of Roth, at least until they need an emergency goalie again in Boston?

NC2: I don’t know, after a performance like tonight's I think we might be seeing more of him sooner than you would think.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments much appreciated, just don't be an ass about it :)  
> Also, if anyone is interested in betaing a longer piece that also involves a trans character (it is Sid/Geno story) drop me a line!


End file.
